The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1887-06-11
Letter from Minnesota.
ST. PAUL. MIMI, June S, 1887.
Editor RO,D110bOuf: 70

| see that the Frankfort Board
Of Trade has taken in hand the
long talked. of matter Of building a
railroad from Frankfort to George
town and other points in Eastern
Kentucky, and, through Judge
VIM. Lindsay and other honora-
bic gentlemen of Franklin county,
will make one last terrible effort to
put the plan into successful opera
ton. God grant that their labors
may be crowned with success.
In all languages and in all lands
the blue grass region of Kentucky
is spoken of and known as the
most productive and beautiful land
on the face of the earth, and it is
through the green pastures and
golden fields Of this far famed sec
ton that it is proposed to build
this road, penetrating with its
strong arm the iron and coal fields
which lie in the eastern end of the
State. Beautiful and productive
as is this region, history tells us
that "the spot where Frankfort
now stands was one of the first to
attract the pioneers eye. 1t finds
mention in the earliest of the jour
nails, in which adventurous Viz
ginians recorded their expeditions
into the western wilderness. 1t is
the site Of one Of the first surveys
made in the great western county
of Fincastle, upon locations select
ed by hardy men from Rockbridge
and Augusta.
At the time these men were
attracted by 1.-THE spot where
Frankfort stands" there were
many fertile miles of country to be
had for the asking, and this being
true, there must have been some
peculiar attraction about the
place, which induced these men
to select Frankfort as the site.
whereon to build their homes and
lay the foundation of a city.
Aside from the fact that Frankfort
is a wonderfully picturesque place,
these first settlers were apprecia-
tive of the further fact, that to be
near a water course, and the larger
the better, were of great advan-
tage from commercial point Of
view, as we'll as for reasons of per-
sonal comfort and convenience.
Some of them had doubtless wit
messed the growth and importance
of Manchester, on the James in
Virginia; which, aside from the
advantage of its situation on said
river, had nothing above some of
the interior towns to commend it.
Its ve.y situation gave it such
prestige that early it was an i'm
portant commercial centre, and
general distributing point for
a greater portion of the south
eastern section Of the new world.
This prestige it retained until some
of the merchants, who had grown
wealthy there, refused to permit
the building Of canal between
their beautiful homes and the
river, urging as a reason for such
objection, that it would destroy |
the beauty Of their grounds.
This action forced the canal to be
built upon the opposite side Of
the river, and Immediately, Rich
mond, which was an unimportant
place, began to build about the
canal, "scooped" Manchester's
commerce, and to-day is one Of
the leading cities in the South,
while Manchester is "as dead as a
door nail. Friends. l pray Of
YOU, be warned by the death of
Manchester. You have objected
to the building of a canal and sent
it to the Richmond side of the
James, by failing to secure the
Louisville Southern r. r., which
goes to Lawrenceburg. DO not
let this last chance, the p, G. &
F. II. r., to better your condi-
ton escape you; but, like the
tabled turtle, fasten your strength
upon it and never loose your hold